Nov. 1NAGOYA, Japan  Toyota Motor Corp.'s cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles amounted to 282,315 units at the end of September, Executive Vice President Ryuji Araki said Monday.

Japan's top automaker launched the world's first mass-produced hybrid car that runs on electricity and gasoline, Prius, in December 1997. The model has since sold 244,441 units, including about 91,000 units for the latest version of the Prius sold during the January-September period of this year.

Toyota currently sells hybrid cars in eight models.

Araki said hybrid cars contribute to increasing Toyota's earnings as they are popular in North America on the strength of their fuel efficiency.